With Denmark being reported as one of the happiest country in the world, it’s no wonder one must take at least one trip, to this wonderful land of happiness. As Copenhagen is my home town, i always go back to visit families and this city never fails to take my breath away. And my visit back home last Christmas was no exception. If you are ever planning to visit Copenhagen, here are a list of my top things to do so you can make the most out of your trip.

One of my favorite things to do in Copenhagen is to walk by foot as it’s a relatively small city, and just admire the history and architect that this historical Nordic city has to offer. Museums and galleries are always in my agenda when i go traveling, and i feel it’s a fun way to understand more about a country. Amalienborg is the winter residence of the Danish royal family and definitely a must see. Take a walk along Amalienborg Palace, which consists of the four rococo palaces, and take photos of their majestic and historical buildings.

If you are at the Amalienborg Palace during noon time, you will even be able to experience the change of guards in the court yard, where the Royal Life Guards are dressed in their distinctive black and blue uniform. However, you can also witness their vibrant red and blue uniform during special occasions or ceremonies, such as birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and etc, within the royal family.

You can also visit the Amalienborg Museum if time permits, and understand the history about the Danish royal family. You are allowed to take photos inside the museum but you will need to pay for this. The dining room was one of the rooms that impressed me the most, which was where Christian X and Queen Alexandrine used at the time. The white detailing of the dining table, chairs, and cabinets, along with the golden wall gives it a very royal look. The lovely plates hung on the golden wall were actually wedding gifts for Christian X and Queen Alexandrine in 1898.

And if you want a little souvenir, you can check out their shop where they sell post cards and books relating to the royal family, and some other cute Danish souvenirs. One of my most common souvenir purchases are magnets and postcards and this shop was like heaven for me. In fact, i’m a collector of magnets and postcards for every country or city i visit.

You can also do a quick stop over at the Marble Church (Frederiks Kirke), which is located on the west of Amalienborg Palace, and is only a mere 10 – 15 minutes walk away. Admiring this beauty from a far or close up is just as exquisite. The dome of the Marble church is also known to be the largest church dome in Scandinavia (according to wikipedia). If the exterior of this church is not enough to impress you, then take a walk into the church itself and experience a magical moment, where you will walk into a space of serenity. The dark and quiet ambiance along with with candles lit up, against these tall concrete walls and a beautiful ceiling of the dome, was enough to take my breath away.

After a long day of walking and if you want to take a break but not go too far, then look no further then visiting the Mormors Cafe (Grandmother’s cafe in English translation), which is also near Amalienborg Palace, located on Bredgade 45, Copenhagen 1260. You can find more details on their website here. My friend and i happened to stumble upon this local cafe by accident, as it started to rain, and we were tired and hungry. The cafe has a very traditional homey ambiance to it, with the floral wallpaper, wooden chairs and table, and old white cabinets to display their goodies. It’s almost sort of a moment you experience when you’re visiting your grandmother in her old cottage house.

I’m not sure if this cafe is a popular spot in Copenhagen but it definitely is a cosy and quiet place to chill with friends. I ordered a cappuccino and their home made apple crumble cake with cream, and was more than happy to stay out of the cold. It was just the perfect way to end our night.

For those that are looking for a creative and stylish way to transform your living space and shy away from the usual and safe white blank canvas wall, apart from coloring your wall to another color, the recently much talked wall gallery interior decor idea is definitely worth considering.

The beauty about the wall gallery is that it can be seen as a piece of art, and might even stir up a conversation or two for the story behind your design, for occasions that you have visitors coming to visit. The beauty with the wall gallery is that you can choose any images that you like, whether it’s a digital camera developed photo, a printed out photo from the internet, postcards from countries you’ve traveled across the globe, or it can be as simple as tearing out a fave ad from your magazine. The choices are endless. What’s more is that it adds a personal touch to designing your living space, as there’ s always a story behind each image that you select. It could be that very first shot of the La Tour Eiffel you took with your loved one, a family portrait, or option for less personal approach by using images of iconic people from that past that you adore, such as the lovely Audrey Hepburn, which i very much still adore up to this day.

And these gorgeous wall galleries does not only apply to the living room. You can be adventurous and do whatever you think is stylish for your home. Some of the other areas in your living spaces to consider applying the wall gallery concept includes the hall way, office space, bed room, kids/baby room, or even as far fetched as the bathroom. There is also the shelf wall gallery that i find very interesting, where photo frames lean, instead of hanging on the wall, where they stand tall and pretty on the shelf.

What is your view on wall gallery? And what is your favorite living space to apply the wall gallery concept?

With temperatures soaring well into the 20 degrees Celsius perimeter this week, it was clear as crystal that Spring has officially arrived in Hong Kong, and i was more than happy by that. Long gone are the days of wearing layers upon layers of clothes, along with the must have winter gears of scarves, boots, gloves, and etc. It’s certainly been a grueling cold winter and i am so ready to embrace spring but the only question is, how to dress to impress for the warmer days to come?

Here are a few tips on how to transform your outfit from those winter days with the bulky looking style to the refreshing and breezy style to welcome spring time in color, and i mean a lot of color. And you will be surprised by how easy this can be done so please read on and be as adventurous as you can be, and try out these spring looks.

1. Add a pop of color with your blazer

2. Be trendy and put on those floral pants

3. Add fun to a patterned top and pair it with a flashy colored skirt

4. Bring skinny jeans back to life by wearing them in colors

5. For the less daring, inject a dose of color to accessories, such as a bag

6. Dress up in a bright colored dress for that girlie effect

7. Make your neon heels stand out by mixing it with jeans in a dark color

When it comes to traveling, i will definitely say i am a planner, where i will always have a rough idea of the things i want to see and do (i carry both a mental list and a written list, for the perfectionist that i am). And revisiting a place i been before such as a vibrant city like London, makes no exception either. Don’t get me wrong, i’m not those freaks who sticks to every single detail of a plan, and depending on my mood and the weather, i sometimes do enjoy those laid back moments where i just go with the flow, realizing the unknown is just as fun.

My trip to London back in December didn’t involve too much planning as my friend that came with me was a laid back traveler so it was perfect for me, considering how many times i have been to London. But i definitely had a mental list of things to do with my friend and i’ve decided to compile a list of top things to do in London, in case you shall ever visit this lovely city. Hope you guys enjoy these tips.

Piccadilly Circus is definitely a place to visit in London. It’s in the center of London, and you really get a feel of the buzz and hype that this metropolitan city has to offer. There are loads of shops if you are into shopping, whether its high end or low end fashion, or restaurants and cafes to visit if you ever fancy a cup of coffee or experience a proper afternoon tea, the British style.

One of the afternoon tea places that i really wanted to try was Fortnum & Mason, which i learned about from the fabulous and lovely British blogger, Milla. Although i didn’t get to try their afternoon tea, the shop itself was enough to impress me. The entire shop was filled with lovely packaging of their food and tea products everywhere, but displayed in moderation. The signature color of their products are in this lovely turquoise color, but i was also very much attracted to these purple tined Earl grey biscuits that i spotted minutes within walking in there, and of course i had to buy them. I ended up buying loads of their teas, such as the green tea flavored Elder flower tea, Earl Grey, and English breakfast. I wanted to try their macarons, being the macaron fan that i am, but i guess i was too overwhelmed by all the things inside Fortnum & Mason that i completely forgot to try some.

Ever since i spotted these alphabet mugs from other bloggers, which are available in Anthropologie, i made an immediately pit stop to their store in London. Lucky, i didn’t even have to buy it that day because my sweetest sister had already bought it for me as part of my Christmas gift, after she heard me talk about it for like ever and ever.

An afternoon tea session is a must if you visit London, a city that is well known to serve the best scones ever. I decided to pay a visit at Sketch, which i’ve not tried before yet heard good reviews of it from other British bloggers. The entrance of Sketch was very mysterious, where you are guided through this dark hall upon entering the lobby.

The interior and ambiance inside was very relaxing and with a lot of wooden and green color incorporated into its design. One of the things that really got me attention was this giant chandelier that hung in the middle of the ceiling, where it had these wooden branches look alike branching out. My friends and i ordered two sets of the afternoon tea and we did not finish it. The thing with afternoon tea is that the food are bite sizes but the fullness slowly creeps up on you. The savory and sweet dishes were both delish but up to this day, i still haven’t tried an afternoon tea place that has blown me away. One thing for sure was that their sea salt caramel and pistachio flavored macarons were yummy!

Another interesting thing about Sketch is their wash room. I know, you would think what? Upon entering the washroom, you will see these individual oval shaped toilet cubicles. The colorful neon ceiling also gave it a very out of space feel to it, and it definitely gave it a whole new meaning and experience for washrooms.

It’s also great fun to experience London by night. The night time of the city with the beautiful lights lit up is a breath taking view for sure. Regent Street is an area that i would recommend visiting, where they always display these beautiful Christmas lights during the festive season. A night out with my girls was definitely on the list, and what better way to celebrate than going to Aqua at the Shard, and enjoying a glass of wine while admiring the night view from the 32nd floor. The Shard also claims to be the tallest building in the EU (according to Wikipedia), which gives you another reason to pop by this place.

For those that are more on the arty side and like some entertainment, make sure to leave a day out to watch a musical. Cheap tickets can be purchased at ticketing booths in London as well, and i often go to the one in Leicester Square, near China Town. I remember watching Phantom of the Opera in London before and it was the best musical ever. Although no other musicals have topped Phantom of the Opera on my list, i decided to give Wicked a chance, and it didn’t disappoint. The music was great, where the costumes and stage settings were gorgeous. Due to the heavy rain fall and strong winds, my friend and i decided last minute to go One Canada Square bar (located at Canary Wharf) to enjoy some wine and cocktail before we called it a night. Since Canary Wharf is a central business district, it was no surprise that the entire bar was filled with men in business suits but since it was the closes bar to our home, it was the perfect spot. I would only recommend going to this bar if you are within this area, otherwise there is nothing special about it. Although we were served by a very friendly Italian waiter so that is a bonus. Good customer service is always appreciated!

Last but no least, it’s also fun to visit museums to learn some history and better understand a place, from a different perspective. So a trip to the British Museum was arranged, and with its free admission fee and the sun shining, we headed out earlier that morning, in an attempt to make the most out of our last day in London.

If you are into markets, you should not miss out on Covent Garden. It’s a market that sells a lot of delicious food, desserts, art, clothes, and other nick nacks. I visit this market whenever i’m in London. One of my fave things to do is eating their Belgian waffles with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, as i sit in the center of the market and enjoy a bit of my people watching moment.

If you are looking to make your living room look more stylish, look no further than these stylish transparent coffee tables. For one thing, it definitely makes a statement and can complete a room when done correctly. It’s a simple design yet such an important element in a living space. You can choose between glass or acrylic coffee tables, with frames or no frames, the varieties are endless.

My favorite is the glass coffee tables with golden frames, as it gives this contemporary look to it while still carrying some interesting details to the design, with a touch of gold in color. Another stylish method that i like and have noticed in a lot of interior design blogs and magazines, are the way these transparent coffee tables are styled. The usual accessories to be seen on the transparent coffee tables include but not limited to things such as stacks of books and magazines, candles, colorful printed jewelry bowls, and other ornaments.

This is a very smart way of decorating a transparent coffee table, where you are not only seeing pretty things within close eye sight but the items are of personal usage as well, such as lighting that candle light on a cosy night in, stacking all your business cards or other important name cards in that cute polka dot bowl, or reading some magazines during a lazy Sunday afternoon, while enjoying brunch at home. A bi – functional way of using a transparent coffee table, now what is there not to like?

Beautiful and colorful flowers blossoming as we welcome the Chinese New Year. Putting on my very first Dior perfume, Forever and Ever Dior, as gifted from a special friend during my visit to Denmark during Christmas. Invitation by a friend to try out this new Spanish restaurant, Zafran, where her bf was recruited as the executive chef there recently. All the tapas dishes were divine and displayed like a piece of art. The mushroom and ham croquetas was amongst one of my favorites.

BFF being ever as sweet and got me my fave macarons from Paul Lafayet for Valentines Day. Savoring my macarons whilst wearing my feminine Tocca perfume and flashing my fluffy heart fur shaped key ring to feel extra lovely. Admiring my cute Russian doll, a gift from a friend during her business trip to Harbin, and deciding where this beauty should stand in my room. Enjoying my pink guava and cranberry gelato with a friend in town visiting, as we slowly walked the Victoria harbor and admired the night view of Hong Kong.

Celebrating BFF’s birthday with a dinner surprise at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, as I patiently waited for the birthday girl at the lobby. Having a much needed “me time” and ending a Friday night with some froyo at Yomama and purchased the Glamour 75th anniversary issue for March, on the way home. Reuniting with my darling after our Euro trip, which calls for cocktail time at Lilys and Bloom. I absolutely loved my Chester’s Cup cocktail, and it contains one of my recent favorite ingredients, elderflower!

I am blessed for each and everyday that was filled with love, fun, laughters, and sharing special moments with people I love and care for. You are my February Love 2014.

After 12 grueling hours on the plane, flying from Hong Kong all the way to London, i was glad to had finally arrived to London Heathrow airport. My friend had decided to tag along with me to celebrate Christmas with my family and i was more than delighted to have an extra company to share this festive season with. As my sister and her boyfriend picked us up from the airport, i was more than happy to have a personal driver to take us home as oppose to taking the ridiculously over priced taxi in London. It would be last thing i needed after a long haul flight.

Every time i visit London, i get this sense of familiarity and home that takes over me, where this city acts like a constant reminder of the fun times I had here during my university days. However, as i walked through Canary Wharf, a Central Business District, which i used to live near by and frequent a lot, appeared to have gone through some changes over the years. There were a lot more tall sky scrapers than i could remember from the last time i visited. It also appeared that many hip restaurants and cafes had surfaced around Canary Wharf.

For old times sake, my sister decided to take us out to lunch in Canary Wharf at this relatively newly opened restaurant, by the name of Tom’s Kitchen. I ordered the sirloin beef with roasted potatoes and water cress in red wine sauce, along with their renowned British Yorkshire pudding. The dish was simple yet amazing, where the beef was juicy and tender and not too big in proportion, and the Yorkshire pudding was warm and soft. I have to admit, there was nothing special about the potatoes but it went really well with the steak. The ambiance was contemporary with high ceiling and a lot of wooden and white tiles to its interior decor, which is a westernized decor style that i am very fond of. The customer service was impeccable as well, with the staffs coming back every now and then in the right consistency to see if we were alright. It is definitely a place that i would go back again for a chilled lunch with my girls on a weekend.

As i had a friend visiting this time, I knew it would be mandatory to take her to the usual tourist attractions and despite seeing it a million times before, i never get tired of this beautiful city. All of the architectural buildings and history just never fails to impress me.

It was a cold and rainy day, and after a much satisfied meal at Tom’s Kitchen, we headed to Tower Bridge. Along the way, we spotted the Shard Building, which i have been told that its the tallest building in the EU, which is quite impressive. Yet the Tower Bridge is always the winner in my book and it always takes my breath away no matter during day time or night time, its just one of those beauty that you can’t stop admiring, and the whole majestic vibe that it holds.

After taking like a gazillion photos of the Tower Bridge in every angle that you could possible take, it was starting to get dark and so we headed to our next destination, the Big Ben and the House of Parliament.

As we got off Westminster station on the underground, we were greeted by drizzles of rain. We decided to not let the weather spoil the mood for us, especially after we surfaced from the underground and looked upon the beautiful view of the Big Ben set against the giant Underground signage (first picture shown above in this post). We opened our umbrellas and leisurely walked along the bridge as we took a moment to enjoy the night view of the Big Ben and the House of Parliament. I still remember my graduation being held at this venue in 2005, and it seems like only yesterday. That day was such a special day for me where my families were there to witness my big day, and it was nice to see this scenery again, 8 years later.

As i walked along the bridge and got closer to the oh so familiar view of the London Eye, my sister told my friend and i to keep walking along the London Eye until we reach the end of the road and then turn back. And we did exactly that. What I saw was the beautiful London Eye in full view, where it was glowing in blue lights, and there were rows and rows of trees in front of it also shining in blue lights in unison. It was one of those magical moments that i wished to have an other half whom i could share this moment with, but my sister and friend was just as good company during that very moment.

As the night unfolded, and our feet being tired as ever from walking the whole day, we decided to stop by a local cafe, Le Pain Quotidien, nearby Waterloo station. We walked into Le Pain Quotidien, where the smell of fresh bakeries and our body warming up to the central heating was more than inviting to us. We quickly got a seat and started looking a the menu. I took no hesitation and decided to go for my all time fave carrot cake and my friend went for the Lemon tart. Coffee and tea, and an elderflower drink were ordered as we slowly savored our desserts and relaxed. Not long after, i had arranged for dinner with an old friend that i’ve known years back from university. Due to lack of time ,we were only able to meet briefly and grab some local food in a British pub. Those short but sweet 2 hours of catching up over good old British food, which consisted of Bangers and mash, and Fish and Chips, were priceless. We laughed into the night as we shared good old memories and spoke of the present and future. As the clock stroked 9 o’clock at night, it was time to bid our farewells and hugged each other tightly, knowing we would meet again very soon. It was a bittersweet moment and just like that, my second night in London ended…